A St. Louis grand jury indicted Charles P. Emerich in the abortion death of 19-year-old Maggie Gibbons. They found that Emerich had performed an abortion on Maggie in late December, 1877, in St. Louis, using instruments. Maggie languished, finally dying of her injuries in early January of 1878. Emerich was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter in Maggie's death, and was sentenced to five years in prison.